Bahrain's Al Ahli Club narrowly missed out on a place in the group stage of the all-new AFC Champions League Two (ACL Two) last night following a narrow 0-1 loss to Kuwait SC of Kuwait.
The single-game play-off decided an available seat from West Asia for the second-tier Asian Football Confederation (AFC) club competition. It was played at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
Ahli will now compete in the third-tier AFC Challenge Cup this season.
Bahrain national team star midfielder Mohammed Jassim Marhoon broke Ahli’s hearts yesterday, scoring the match winner for the visitors in the 83rd minute with a brilliant volley off a rebound.
Ahli were playing with 10 men at that point and had to do so for much of the contest, after Sayed Qasem Alawi was sent off early on for a reckless challenge on Kuwait’s Ahmad Al Zanki. To add to the Bahrainis’ woes, their line-up was reduced even further after conceding Marhoon’s decider. Ahli’s Sayed Mohammed Ameen was given his marching orders a minute from full time for a foul on Taha Yassine Khenissi, who was on his way to a one-on-one with Ahli goalkeeper Ebrahim Luthfallah.
A third red card was then given to Ahli assistant coach Zeljko Kalajdzic on the sidelines during stoppage time.
With Ahli’s loss, there will be only one Bahrain club in the ACL Two competition this upcoming 2024-25 season. They are Al Khaldiya, who have a direct berth as champions of the 2023-24 Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier League.
The ACL Two was formerly known as the AFC Cup, and has been rebranded ahead of the start of this campaign. It is one level below the AFC Champions League Elite and one above the AFC Challenge League.
Khaldiya are one of 32 teams in the group phase. They will be divided into eight groups – four each for West and East Asia – with the official draw scheduled to take place tomorrow in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
In last night’s match, Ahli lost Alawi after just 23 minutes after he stepped on the lower right leg of Al Zanki in an attempt to tackle.
Before the break, Jamal Rashed had a wonderful chance to put the Bahrainis in front. He received a fine through-pass from Saud Al Assam in the box, but his shot from near the penalty spot flew inches from the outside of the left post. That turned out to be Ahli’s best chance in the game.
In the second half, as the game appeared headed towards an extension, the Kuwaitis finally went ahead through Marhoon’s heroics.
Lutfhallah first made a brilliant save off an attempt from close range by an unmarked Faisal Zayed, but the rebound went in the opposite direction and Marhoon was quickest to react. He pounced on the loose ball and drove it into the net, earning the Kuwaitis their winner.
Kuwait SC will thus be the only team from Kuwait set to play in this season’s ACL Two.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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